- He first decided to take boxing lessons when neighborhood bullies stole his bike and he wanted to get back at them.
- Legend has it that Ali threw his 1960 Olympic gold medal into the river, when in reality he just simply lost it at some point in time.
- His bout with massive underdog Chuck Wepner inspired Sylvester Stallone to create Rocky Balboa, while the character Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers) was based on Ali himself.
- Ali learned early from the outrageous bad-guy wrestler, Gorgeous George, that it could pay to be hated. Ali said "I saw fifteen thousand people coming to see this man get beat, and his talking did it. I said, this is a goo-o-o-d idea!" Then Ali refined that talking concept to what has been referred to as the Louisville Lip.
- Has a record of 56-5 with 37 KOs.
- Met The Beatles while training to fight Sonny Liston, and posed for photos with them in a boxing ring. Declared afterward that they were the greatest, but he was "still the prettiest".
- In 1999 he was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Century.
- First man to knock down Sonny Liston and George Foreman.
- His maternal grandmother's paternal grandfather was of Anglo-Saxon descent, and he is related to--among other notables--US Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Benjamin Harrison VI, Confedrate General Robert E. Lee, General George C. Marshall' and General George S. Patton. He is also related to actors Lee Marvin, Glenn Close, Laura Dern and Hilary Duff, journalist Katie Couric and cyclist Lance Armstrong.
- Children: Daughters Rasheeda and Jamilla (twins) and Maryum (by Belinda Boyd); Miya, Khalilah, Hana Ali and Laila Ali (by Verónica Porche Ali). Sons Muhammed, Jr. (by Boyd); Asaad (adopted with Yolonda Williams).
- Portrayed himself in four different motion pictures.
- From 1963 to 1966, he successfully defended the heavyweight title nine times.
- Suffered from Parkinson's Syndrome, caused by numerous blows to the head during his boxing career.
- Inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 (charter member) and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1986.
- The only fighter to win a decision over Joe Frazier (their second fight).
- Light heavyweight boxing gold medalist, 1960 Olympics. World heavyweight boxing champion, 1964-1967, 1974-1978, 1978-1979.
- In 1962, Ali signed for Selective Service, but he failed the mental aptitude test, and was classified 1-Y (unfit for service). But when the United States armed forces required more soldiers for the Vietnam War, the pass-percentage marks for the tests were dropped to 15, meaning that Ali (and thousands of other men) was re-classified 1-A, now fit for service.
- Contrary to popular belief, he was stripped of his boxing license by the State of New York and his title by the World Boxing Association when he converted to Islam. However, the World Boxing Council recognized him as champ throughout his battle with the Government over his refusal to be inducted into the United States Army.
- Lit the torch at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Had an amateur boxing record of 127 wins and only five defeats.
- Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Sport in Society Hall of Fame in 1994.
- In June 1967, Ali was convicted of violating the Selective Service Act (knowingly and willfully refusing to report for and submit to induction into the armed forces), and was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $100,000. On appeal, Ali claimed he was denied due process because the ratio of blacks on draft boards did not reflect their ratio in the population. But the three member Presidential Draft Board, formed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to prevent such scenarios (and included a black member) ruled his objection was invalid, and that he was not entitled to conscientious objector status as a minister of the Islamic religion (what he stated as his profession). Morever, in an April 1966 letter to his local draft board, Ali protested that two years of military service would cause him serious financial loss in being unable to pursue his livelihood as a boxer, NOT as a minister.
- His maternal great-grandfather was Abe Grady, a native of Ireland.
- In 62 pro boxing matches, Ali was only stopped once; by Larry Holmes on a technical knockout. Ali was never counted out, but was unable to come out for round 11 in their title fight.
- In order to pay his legal fees (since he was barred from boxing), Ali hit the college lecture circuit and even starred in the Broadway musical "Buck White".
- Married second wife Khalilah Camacho Ali when she was age 17.
- Inactive for three and a half years while fighting his draft evasion case in court.
- Ali was arguably actually a four-time World Heavyweight Champion. In 1965, after signing to fight dethroned champion 'Sonny Liston' for a rematch, a fight that was not sanctioned in many areas, Ali was stripped by The World Boxing Association of their recognition of him as Heavyweight Champion. The WBA sanctioned an elimination match between contenders Ernie Terrell and Eddie Machen to determine who the Heavyweight Champion would be. Terrell won by a 15-round decision and was the WBA champion for two years. Most sanctioning bodies and the general public still recognized Ali as the true champion. He regained the WBA Heavyweight Championship and unified the Heavyweight Championship by winning a 15-round decision over Terrell in 1967, only to be stripped of the title again several months later because of his refusal to register the military draft. He later won the title on two more occasions from George Foreman and Leon Spinks, reversing a previous loss to Spinks.
- When he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Performance (at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, on January 11, 2002), Ali insisted that the star be installed on the facade of the Kodak Theatre (now the Dolby Theatre), home of the Academy Awards. Ali, who was a Muslim, stated at the time, "I bear the name of our beloved prophet Mohammad, and it is impossible that I allow people to trample over his name." The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored this request. As of 2021, Ali's star is the only one on the Walk of Fame that cannot be stepped on.
- When Ali stopped Sonny Liston for the World Heavyweight Title, Liston had not lost a fight in over 10 years.
- As an amateur, Ali was only knocked-out once in over 110 fights, by Kent Green on a third round technical knockout. Green went on to a 14-2 pro boxing record.
- Trained by Joe Martin (1953-1959) as an amateur, Archie Moore (1960-1961) and Angelo Dundee (1961-1980).
- The only fighter to score a KO of George Foreman and Oscar Bonnavena.
- Took an interest in boxing when his bike was stolen by local hoods.
- Was featured in a "Pizza Hut" boxing commercial alongside David Bortolucci and Ali's real-life trainer Angelo Dundee, which was meant to air during the 1998 Super Bowl but was pulled at the very last moment for being too violent. It was estimated that the entire campaign cost Pizza Hut tens of millions of dollars.
- Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush on November 9, 2005. Other recipients were Frank Robinson, General Richard Myers, Paul Rusesabagina, Carol Burnett, Andy Griffith, Aretha Franklin, Vint Cerf and his Internet co-developer Robert Kahn, Jack Nicklaus, Alan Greenspan and former congressman Sonny Montgomery.
- Wanted the role of Bilal in The Message (1976) but the film's director nixed the idea.
- Father-in-law of Curtis Conway.
- Having the distinction of being one of the world's most famous celebrities of all time. Many fans would request getting punched by Ali rather than a picture or autograph. Boasting that they got hit by the Greatest!.
- On the night of his bout against Sonny Liston in 1964, Ali personally re-filled his water bottle in his dressing room. The reason he did this, was due to concerns that the Mafia might have doped his water. Liston was said to have been regularly involved with the Mafia.
- Ali is the first heavyweight champion in the history of boxing to lose his title to a novice (who had only seven professional fights). This occurred when Ali lost to Leon Spinks on February 15, 1978.
- Son of Odessa Clay.
- Received the Otto Yamaoka peace medal for his "life-long engagement in the American civil rights movement and the global cultural emancipation of blacks, as well as his work as a UN Goodwill ambassador". (December 2005)
- Was photographed with American actor David J. Silver during his visit to Arizona. He attended a lavish dinner at the Palms Hotel in Paradise Valley for his famed 2004 Fight Night Celebrity charity at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix.
- Younger brother of Rahman Ali.
- Upon returning to boxing in 1970 after having his license returned, Ali no longer had the exceptional footwork against his opponents. However, the 3 time champion proved he could endure punishment inside the ring.
- During their historic bouts, there was genuine bad feeling between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Years later, they were able to bury the hatchet.
- Caused shock-waves throughout the sport, when he defeated Sonny Liston in February 1964 for the heavyweight title. The bout has gone down as one of the biggest upsets in boxing.
- Former heavyweight boxing champion.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content